Pelt stretcher



Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,613

J. J. SMITH -1 PELT STRETCHER Filed Aug. 7, 1926 NVEJTUR= ATTEIRNEYfkPatented Dec. 18, 19.2.8.

UNITED. STATES JOHN J; sMi'rH, or nnLs'roN, 'MASS'Actur-serias.r y

FELT sria.irroinm.` f

` Application tiled August 7,

embodying a spring frame which is adjustable to adapt itself topeltsof'diflerent sizes wherein the device is provided with improvedmeans for holding the spring frame within pelt inst-retched` condition.i

together and adapted to be readily and easily' the pelt in stretchedcondition, such'y means being. in the vform yof an improved spreader!bar connecting thev springl arms of the frame n* manipulated. j f v c Afurther object of the invention is to pro- V vide improved means forlocking lthe spreader bar invarious adj usted positions tothe springarms ofthe frame to hold the tailpiece of the Other objects vof theinvention .will appear in the yfollowing.description and vappended fclaims reference being had to .the/accompany-4 ing drawings-forming apart ofV this specifi-I cation wherein like reference characters.indicate vcorresponding parts in the several'AV views, wherein Fig. 1is a planiview illustrating a stretching apparatusconstructedin'accordance withk m invention., 1; f ig.2 is a similar viewillustrating the -pelt Y or fur in position upon the frame, and p e Fig.3 is a sectional view. taken substantially on-theline 3 3, Figil.

` Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrams illustrating they methodfof lockingthe'spreaderbarto the side arms of the'framei r y .Y

Referring to the drawings wherein I have illustrated a presentpreferred` embodiment;

. of'my invention it *will be seen that'th'e stretcher .comprisesaspring frame which isv preferably formed from a relatively'heavy wirebentintermediate-its upper ends at 9to form a nose and extendingdownwardlj7V tol form spring arms ,10 and 11.V Thespring 4arm 10 issomewhat longer than theopposite arm 11, andat its lower. end isbent-substantially at right angles and inwardly to form ai v connecting`arm 112, vthe free end of which passesthrough an eye or v,loop 13 formedat: the lower; endof thespri'ng arm/11. Thel transverse connecting arm12 aty the left-hand; side as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, is bent into anupturned Y portion. 14 for "interlocking the spring arms together andvpreventing thepor-V i spring armas 192e. serial No. 127325.*V

tion 12from becoming disconnected from-the" eye or lloop 13. v`The "wireconstituting'lthe smooth throughout, having no projections or referredto.

.F ro'mthe foregoingcon'structionit will be seen that the'spring arms 10and 11 maybe 'contracted and expanded under tension, and

in order to connect the arms together in ad-` Vjusted positions .withrespect to-,each other a spreader bar S islprovided.- This bar may be.formed nfrom a flat metal plate 15. (see j particularly Fig. 3) whichatonevend is stamped spring frame embodying the invention Y Y.

f6 A* teeth.` struck up from the inner edgesofthe" vin my priorapplicationabovef i inv out or otherwise formed-toiprovide a long` -itudinal guide'slot 16 adapted' to slidinglyreceive'the spring arm 10.'.Theplatel is also lstamped or otherwise formed at its opposite`endito'lprovide a similar longitudinal guide vslot 17 v The slot16 atits'upper longitudinal at itsupper edge is provided witliacorre- Ispending series lof projections orf'teeth 19 formingtherebetweenrecessesor notches 21 for receiving the spring arm 11.

' I Therecesses 20andr21 are ofa width some-f` p whatgreaterv thanthethickness ofthe wire constituting the 'side' arms" 10 and11 as shownn .in Figa wherein the-spreader bar S is in-go c normal or longitudinalposition which it oc-` cupies. when there' is nol pelt. onthejfr'ame@These recesses are defined by substantiallyv parallel faces f formed atthe sides of theY teeth 18 and 19A andv extending vfrom the topl surfacet to the bottom surface b of the` spreader bar-atright anglesthereto asshown c in Figs. .4 and 5. Itwillfbe clearly seen that a sharp edge orYcorner aisformedat either 'l side .of the recessesrat the top andbottom sur-f face t and respectively of the spreader bar. 'I

Y v"Secured ,tothe kupper edge of the. spreader Thecorners 'e are sharpand well-delinedas y shown in Figs. l and' 5 and are for a .purpose Vtobe hereinaftermorefullyexplained.n Y .Y

101sYv` Y bar S by, means' of aclamping :plate isa..l ,leaf Spring22which extends 4lengthwise:of',` 1, Vthe spreader-bar and its vfree. end:is bent or ff Vflared upwardlyV at`24. This-spring is prefer'ablvofconsiderable strength so that when n flexed to permit the insertion ofthe tailpiece v y of thejpelt'betweenA the spring; and they.4

spreader bar the tail piece will be firmly clamped in position.

As shown in Fig. 2 a fur pelt 26 is mounted in position upon thespreader frame. In using the stretching apparatus the pelt is turnedinside out and the nose 9 of the spring `frame is inserted into the peltand the latter drawn over the frame.u By grasping the spring arms andexpanding them, the pelt may be stretched to the desired extent. It willbe seen that when the arms 10 and 11 are thus spread outwardly the lowerends of the arms will slide freely in the guide slot 16 and 17 along thelower straight edges thereof as viewed in Fig. 3. I/Vhen it is desiredto clamp the arms in adjusted relative positions under tension, it ismerely necessary to force the spreader bar S downwardly in a verticaldirection thereby causing the arm 10 to enter one of the recesses ornotches 2() and causing the arm` 11 to enter `one of the recesses 21.The tension exerted between the spring arms VWillhold them firmly in`position within the notches by frictional engagement with one of theedge faces f of the adjacent teeth 18 and 19. The tail piece 27 of thepelt may thereupon be inserted beneath the spring 22 by grasping thebent up end 24 of the spring and flexing it sufficiently to permit theinsertion of the tail piece between the spring and the spreader bar.Thereupon the tail piece may be stretched to the desired extent i andwhen .the spring 22 is released it will firmly clamp the tail piece inposition. t

In accordance with my present invention the spreader bar S is thenforced downwardly to a slightly further extent to set up a tension`between the pelt and the bar, and is then given a slight twist out of ahorizontal plane as shown in Figs. l and 4 and into an angular positionrelative to the side arms of the frame as shown' in Figs. 2 and 5. The`spreader bar is twisteduntil two of the sharp edges or corners e of oneof the recesses 20 and 21 grip or bite against the opposite edges of thegagement` between the spreader bar and the side arms of the frame whichlocks the spreader bar in place and thereby holds the tail of the peltunder tension. With the Y spreader bar in this position (Figs. 2 and 5),the upward pull exerted by the tail of the pelt at the center of thebars will be firmly resisted, thereby holding the pelt stretchedlongitudinally of the frame. To unlock the bar and release the tensionon the pelt it is simply necessary to exert a slight Vupward pull on thedepressed end of the bar which quickly returns the parts to normalposition shown in Figs.` 1 and 4.

From the foregoing it will be seen. that the spring frame may bek easilyexpanded or contracted under.tensionagainst the fur pelt and lockedinsuch expanded or contracted position byimeans of the spreader bar S itbeing merely necessary to shift the latter ina direction transverse tothe movement of the spring arms so as to canse the arms to enter therecesses20 and 21. In addition it will be seen that the spreader bar Sis easily and conveniently locked to the side arms of the frame and thatthe `pelt is not only stretched ina transverse direction but is alsoheld under tension in a longitudinal direction by the spreader bar, thelocking. mechanism for holding the bar in adjusted position being ofvery'simple construction, it being only necessary to provide the teeththerein with paral` lel surfacesv terminating preferably in sharp edgesor corners at the upper and lower surfaces of the bar.`

It will be noted, referring to Figure `5, `that when the spreader bar isangularly dis# posed with relation to the spring. arms, the

gripping points@ are diagonally disposed or in staggered relation withrespect to the arms and the curvature or bowed condition of the armsprovidesV an efficient binding action against opposite sides of eacharmat longitudinally spaced points.

What I claim is: Y

l. A pelt stretcher comprisin aframe` having spring arms and a' sprea erbar for` connecting said arms, said bar being rovided with notches toreceive said. arms, sai notches having portions frictionally lockingVsaid.` arms when'said bar is in one angular' posi-V `tion with respectto the arms, and saidA arms beingfreely movable into and out of `saidnotches when saidf bar is inA another. angular' position. l

2. A pelt stretcher comprising a frame having spring arms andr aspreaderbar for con-A necting said arms, and having means for engagingfandholding a portlon of the pelt under tension, said vbar being providedwith notches to receive saidl` arms, said? notches having portionsfrictionally locking said.

arms when said bar'is inone angular position with respect to the arms,Aand said arms being freely movable into and out of said notches whensaid bar` is` in another angular position.

3. A pelt stretcher comprisin `a frame having spring arms and a s reaerbar for connecting said arms, said r being provided ad accnt each endhwith a series of notches for selectively" receiving the adjacent armsaid notches havin portions frictionally locking said arms w en saidvbaris l in one angular position with respect to the arms, and said armsbeing freely movable intol and out of said notches when said bar is inanother angular position," v

4. A pelt stretcher comprising a spring frame having expansible andcontractable spring arms and a spreader bar-having a V1on-` gitudinalguide slot for slidabl receiving each arm, said slot having forme at onelon` ceive and lock said arms in adjusted position,r

gitudinal edge `a plurality of'teeth vhaving recesses therebetween ofslightly greater Width than the thickness of the 'ar-ms toresaid-teethbeing provided with. substantially parallel faces forming cornerstherebetween to frictionally engage and lock the side arms when Vthespreader bar is angularly disposed with lrelation'to saidarms. f

5. A pelt stretcher comprising a spring frame having relatively.expansible and contractable spring arms, a spreader bar, a i'lat springcarried bysaid bar for ,clamping the tail piece of the pelt thereto,said bar having' Va guideslot for slidably receiving each arm of therame,said slot lhaving formed atV one longitudinal edge aplurality ofteeth having recesses therebetween of slightly greaterv Width than thethickness of 1the arms, said teeth being provided with substantially"parallel faces providing diagonally disposedv corners for frictionallygripping. the arms when the spreader bar is angularly disposed Withrelation to said arms.

' 6. A pelt stretcher comprisingy a V.framed khaving spring arms, aspreader bar connecting said arms together, said bar having notchesadapted to slidingly receive said arms `and adapted when the bar isangularly disf posed With relation ,to the springv armsJOv ind againstthe opposite sidesv of the arm at longitudinallyfspaced points. y

7. A pelt stretcher comprlslng a frame having spring arms, a spreaderbar connect-u ing said'arms together, Vsaid bar having a series ofnotches foradjustably and slidingly receiving each arm, each notchhaving o poposite sides of the arms at longitudinally of the arms.-

In testimony whereof I aiilix'mysignature.

